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| We’ve recapped some of the biggest deals to have gone through across Europe this transfer market. |
There may still be some time for Europe’s biggest clubs to add new faces to their camp, but for some, it’s good to get business done early as they feel they could be beaten by their rivals for some players’ signature.
Paul Pogba’s £89m transfer from Juventus to Manchester United remains the record fee, but the way the market is going these days, that figure could well be surpassed. Paris Saint-Germain look the likeliest to break that mark, with reports suggesting that they are willing to spend £195m on Barcelona superstar, Neymar.
We’ve already witnessed some massive deals go through, including £75m Romelu Lukaku, who jumped ship from Everton to join Pogba, a close friend of his, at Manchester United. Yes, super-agent, Mino Raiola, may be the main instigator behind his move to Old Trafford, but the way Lukaku spoke in his interviews, one would get the feeling that he always preferred a second chance under Jose Mourinho.
The Red Devils also signed Victor Lindelof, who fans and pundits have high hopes for, dubbing him to be the next Nemanja Vidic. Mourinho stated that he had given executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, four targets in March. There’s just been two new arrivals at Old Trafford so far, with Ivan Perisic of Inter Milan and Eric Dier of Tottenham Hotspur expected to be the other two targets, while Marco Verratti from PSG also can’t be ruled out after hiring Raiola as his agent.
AC Milan, a team that has needed strengthening for many years, went out and spent big bucks, signing 10 new players, while also crippling their Italian rivals, and, extending the contract of Italian wonderkid, Gianluigi Donnarumma. They managed to break up arguably the best defence in world football by snatching Leonardo Bonucci from Juventus, for a reasonable fee of £38m. They’ve spent over £160m already, and one gets the feeling that it doesn’t stop there. The Rossoneri are also on the verge of completing their 11th deal for the upcoming season, a well sought-after striker in Andrea Belotti.
Manchester City, who have done the biggest spending so far, strengthened in areas that let them down last season. They’ve brought in two new Brazilians in the form of goalkeeper, Ederson, and defensive midfielder from Vasco da Gama, Douglas Luiz. Also, the Citizens signed Kyle Walker from title-rivals, Spurs, in a £50m deal, before breaking the transfer record for a defender once again, signing Benjamin Mendy in a £52m deal. Arguably their best signing, though, is Bernardo Silva, who helped Monaco reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League and guided them to lift the French Ligue 1 title. City’s transfers have now surpassed the £200m mark, becoming the first team to do so, and one suggests that their spending spree should continue.
Arsenal haven’t done too badly either. Keeping Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil is considered to be good business for the Gunners. Meanwhile, they’ve broken the bank to land Alexandre Lacazette in a deal which could rise to £52m. Prior to that, Arsenal were up to their old tricks in getting players for cheap prices when they signed Sead Kolasinac from Schalke on a free deal.
Liverpool also managed some shrewd business of their own, snatching English prodigy, Dominic Solanke, for free, after his contract at Chelsea expired. The Blues, however, are still expected to receive £3m which is to be determined by the tribunal. The Reds’ only other signing is also a former Chelsea player in the form of Mohamed Salah. Going forward, Jurgen Klopp’s side seem to be sorted, its just the defensive areas that they need to worry about now.
And just when fans thought it was all doom and gloom for Chelsea, they managed to snap up Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid. The 24-year old Spaniard becomes the fourth signing for Chelsea, after Willy Caballero, Antonio Rudiger and Tiemoue Bakayoko. Some decent signings in the aforementioned players, but the Blues still need to replace a long list of stars that they’ve let go already.
It’s tough to say who has done the best business in the market, but AC Milan have made themselves a team worth fearing again.
Written by Jesse Nagel